2014 Figaro starts today

[Presuming Ed]

in theory. They're waiting for some wind at the moment.

Website

http://www.lasolitaire.com/en/s01_home/s01p01_home.php

Tracking.

http://www.lasolitaire.com/en/s02_corporate/s02p08_cartographie.php?leg=1

Skippers

http://www.lasolitaire.com/en/s06_skippers/s06p01_skippers.php

Twitter

https://twitter.com/LaSolitaire2014

https://twitter.com/hashtag/SolitaireDuFigaro?src=hash

Course:

 

[Presuming Ed]

Started.

 

[ronnie_simpson]

Preview Article went on front page shortly before the start. 170 miles in, virtually the entire fleet is within four miles of one another and 2 past mini transat winners in 30th and 32nd. Such a brutally competitive and unforgiving fleet. Virtual restart under Isle of Wight that shuffled the rankings and forecast looks like the same may happen on the last leg of this step, when headed from brittny to Plymouth. La Solitaire blows my mind every time I follow it.

 

[Roleur]

Boats are moving up and down 20 places in 12 hours. Crazy close racing. And yet Yann seems to be slowly moving to front without making mistakes.

 

[Headntac]

Boats Closer to the English coast will have more pressure over the next bit,(Ya think)and then they all sail into a hole in 24 hours with the course they is racing.......,fun times........Melihat (SMA) is holding a good position for a shift yet may be too wide.The lead keeps changing its great..

 

[Presuming Ed]

Just can't imagine the pressure on a race like this. Terminally knackered, but every boatlength counts, and you get spanked hard for every mistake.

 

[Mash]

Elies actually took the lead, only to dismast just after rounding Wolf Rock

 

[moody frog]

Elies actually took the lead, only to dismast just after rounding Wolf Rock

Impressive pics:http://www.lasolitaire.com/fr/s10_mediatheque/s10p01_albums.php#prettyPhoto

 

[Mash]

Yeah, can't be comfortable dropping the stick so close and (apparently ?) somewhat to windward of the rock...

 

[moody frog]

Vid now ! but they missed the crash-down.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1z1hhp_dematage-yann-elies-etape-1_sport

Broken starboard D1 at swage he says in a radio interview

 

[oioi]

Sad news.

Still anyone's race

 

[Soapbox]

Awesome event - watching the british contingent closely. Bomby in 13th.

 

[moody frog]

Vid now ! but they missed the crash-down.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1z1hhp_dematage-yann-elies-etape-1_sport

Broken starboard D1 at swage he says in a radio interview

Stupid swaged terminal problem, not mast as in FP

 

[ronnie_simpson]

rarely is the rig's fault when a Figaro dismasts, unfortunately. good catch. thrilling race!

 

[Headntac]

Congrats to Alexis Loison,had my money on Meilhat(SMA),still he finished 7th,17something minutes behind the leaders.That would of been fun racing that close all the time...

 

[DtM]

Has he replaced and rejoined?

 

[CharlieBurton]

Yann's boat got here before the rest yesterday, there's a rig hanging about with his team at the moment, I expect it'll go in today

 

[Headntac]

I plead ignorance to the french word Quessant,

is this a no go zone on the race course? Cheers D

 

[moody frog]

I plead ignorance to the french word Quessant,

is this a no go zone on the race course? Cheers D

Ouessant (Ushant) not Quesssant.

I guess that you are referring to the TSS (traffic separation scheme) DST in French.

Ushant is one of (if not The) busiest ones.

4 x TSS to avoid on that leg.